812.77/7–2244
Mr. E. M. Bishop of the United States Railway Mission in Mexico to the Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith)13
Dear Mr. Ambassador: Referring to telephone conversation this morning concerning the foreign owned cars within the Republic of Mexico as of 11:59 P.M., July 20. The car balance has been reduced since July 1, by 729 cars. The balance as of 11:59 P.M., last night was 8575, exclusive of refrigerator cars.
This reduction has been principally accomplished by delivering foreign owned cars empty to the U.S. Lines regardless of the requirements for export loading.
There has been a total of 1765 empty cars and 1169 loaded cars delivered to U.S. Lines July 1, to 20th inclusive. The delivery of [Page 1253] empty cars has resulted in an accumulation of export business, particularly of ores and concentrates.
A survey of these ores and other materials on hand for movement to the United States indicates that it will require approximately 100 cars per day for the next 30 days to move the accumulation and current production.
I believe that the present car balance can be about maintained with the present volume of import movement, and at the same time furnish a sufficient number of empties to move ores and other materials.
The only way this car balance can be further substantially reduced is to continue to ignore the requirements of export loading or to drastically restrict imports.
Yours very truly,
- Copy transmitted to the Department in letter of July 22 from Ambassador Messersmith to Mr. McGurk; received July 26.↩